A customer may purchase a product from a retailer. For example, a customer may purchase an automotive part from an automotive store. In some cases, however, so many different products might be available that it is not possible for the retailer to have all of the products currently in stock. This might be the case, for example, with used automotive parts. That is, there are so many different products that might be needed by a customer (e.g., associated with different automobile makes, models, and/or years) it is not practical for a retailer (or junkyard) to have all—or even most—of them in stock.
A customer might visit a retailer and order a used automotive part (e.g. an engine for a particular 2001 Ford truck). The retailer or some other entity could then manually place telephone calls to various junkyards until the appropriate part is located. In this situation, however, the customer might not know the price of the part when he or she places the order. Moreover, the process can be time consuming, and different parts and part numbers may need to be cross-referenced and/or translated (e.g., because a transmission for a 1999 Grand Am might be usable in connection with other models and/or years). In addition, even when the part is located, there may be no way to determine if the price is appropriate (e.g., the product might be available from a different junkyard for a much lower price).